Peanut-harvester.



. R. ERWIN.

PEANUT HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 31' 1913.

Patented Ap1n27, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

IIVVEIVTOR A TTOR/VEY WITNESSES 1. R. ERWIN.

PEANUT HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED on. 3:. 191a.

Patented Apr. 27,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

INVENTOR WITNESSES A TTOR/VEY THE NORRIS PETERS CO PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D. C.

inarrnp s'rarns earner ornion- JOSEPH R. ERWIN, 0F SABANNO, TEXAS.

PEANUT-HARVESTER.

AppIication filed October 31, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be 1t known that I, Josnrrr R. ERWIN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Sabanno, in the county of Eastland and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Peanut-Harvesters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful peanut harvester.

Its object is to provide a machine which will travel along a row of peanut plants, first uprooting the same, and then subjecting them to a process by which any earth adhering to the peanuts is removed therefrom, the vines finally being deposited in windrows, that the peanuts may cure.

Further objects are to provide mechanisms for vertically adjusting the earth-turning member of my machine, and for discharging a quantity of vines at any desired point in the path of the machine.

Finally, the object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described that will be strong, durable, efficient and simple and comparatively inexpensive to produce, also one in which the several parts will not be likely to get out of working order.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention has relation to certain novel features of construction and operation, an example of which is described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my peanut harvester. Fig. 2 is a right side elevation view of the same, the right-hand wheel being omitted. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken upon the line w-w of Fig. 1. Fig. i is a bottom view of the earth-turning member. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a detail of the machine. Fig. 6 is a side elevation view of another detail of construction. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary top view of a certain conveyer embodied in my machine. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the same taken upon the line yz of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a detail view showing in side elevation the mounting of a plow standard upon the tongue of the machine. Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the same, the section being taken upon the line az of Fig. 9.,

j Referring'now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate similar parts in all the figures,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 27, i915.

Serial No. 798,592.

the numerals 1., 2 and 3 respectively denote the wheels, axle and tongue of my machine, the axle being passed through the rear ends of two parallel bars 1 which rigidly fasten at their forward extremities at each side of the tongue.

The earth-turning member of my machine is mounted beneath the rear end of the tongue and comprises a plow-share 5., landside bar 6, frog 7 and brace rod 8. To the rear face of the plow share, there is secured a plate 9, projecting a short distance above the plow-share, the function of which plate will presently be made clear. The earthturning member is carried fast upon the lower end of a standard 10, extending upwardly adjacent to the tongue, and terminating at a distance above the same. Through said standard, a limited vertical displacement may be communicated to the earth-turning member, in which displacement the standard is guided by a keeper plate 11 secured to one of the bars 4. The keeper plate is formed with slots in which horizontal rollers 12 are mounted and similar rollers 12 are also mounted in depreS- The means for raising and lowering the earth-turning member comprise a lever 14-, pivoted at its lower extremity upon a vertical bar 15, and formed with an integral quadrant 16 centered at the pivot point of the lever and engaging a rack 17 formed upon the upper portion of the rear edge of the standard. The lever 14: is adapted to be held in various positions of angular adjustment in the usual well known manner. The

bar 15 is mounted fast at its lower end upon the bar 4; to which the keeper plate 11 is secured.

tablishing a rigid connection between the same, and holding them in their proper spaced relation. Normally the rods l8'are slightly spaced from the axle at their rear ends, being supported entirely through tlieir connection with the plate 9. It is preferred to extendthe forward portions of the rods 18 laterally for some distance, (see Fig. 1)

in substantially the same direction that the plow-share extends from its Point, and the spacing of the rods will be'increased slightly as they approach their rear ends.

' At each side of the aggregation of rods 18, there is mounted upon the axle a frame comprising a vertical member 20, intermediately receiving the axle, having an arm 21 extending rearwardly from its lower end, and having a somewhat longer arm 22, extending from its upper portion rearwardly at a downward inclination. The innermost of these two frames is restricted from rotation upon the axle by a plate 23, projecting integrally forward from the member 20 and bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the adjacent bar 4. Theoutermost of the two frames is prevented from turning upon the axle by its connection withthe inner frame through various shafts and rock-shafts which will now be described.

At the junctures of the members '20 and 22 of said frames, bearings are formed for the extremities of "a double throw crankshaft 24, having its axisof rotation parallel to the axle and above the same." The throw Iof each-crank of said shaft is journaled in a bearing 25, mounted fast upon the rear end of a'bar 26 extending forwardly anddownwardly parallel to and'above the rear portions of the rods 18. The forward ends of the bars 26 are supported in a similar manner to the rear ends of the same, by a crankshaft 27, having its crank-throws journaled in bearings 28 respectively carried by said bars. The extremities ofthe crankshaft 27 are respectively journaled' in the lower ends of a pair of bars 29, extending upwardly' at a rearward inclination, and respectively piv; otally secured to curved arms 30, projecting rigidly from the end portions of a rock-shaft 31. The extremities of the said rock-shaft are respectively journaled in the upper ends of the two members 20. Each bar 26 carries a plurality of spikes 32 projecting rigs idly from the under surface of the barat right angles to the same, the purpose of this construction being hereinafter made clear. The lower ends of the bars=29 are rigidly connected by a yoke bar 33 which. serves to hold the members 29 properly spaced at their lower ends and also forms a guard for the crank-shaft 27 during its rotation. Upon the inner extremity of the rock-shaft 31, there is mounted fast a curved rearwardly projecting arm 84, which is connected by a substantially vertical swinging link 35' with 1' The arms 21- form bearings for tremities of a rock shaft 53, upon which are mounted fast a plurality of rearwardly proa pin 35 carried fast upon an arm 36 projecting integrally rearward from the lower end of an upright lever 37. The lower end of said lever is pivotally mounted as indicated at 38 upon the left-hand bar 4, and is. correlated with the usual means for holding it stationary in various positions of angular displacement. r

Upon thelower portions of the members 20 are respectively formed rearwardly projecting lugs 39,.in which are journaledthe trunnions v40 of an elongated pulley 41 and another such pulley 41 is similarly mounted between the lower ends of the arms 22. 'The two pulleys 41 carry a spaced pair of endless belts 42, to the outer faces of which is transversely secured a plurality of equally spaced slats 43, each carrying a row f outwardly projecting spikes 44. A perforated platform 45, preferably metallic is extended be tween the upper rectilinear portions of the belts 42 and beneath said portions, said'platform being supported'by four arms 45 two of which are respectively formed upon the: lugs'39, and'two uponrthe members 22 respectively. The pulley41 mounted between the lugs 39 lies partially beneath the axle so that the parallel portions of each belt are inclined slightly downward from back to 1 front, extending slightly beneath-the rear ends of the rods 18. Y

'The mechanism employed to actuate'the travelofthe belts 42, and the rotation. of the crank-shaft 24 will now be described. Upon a the axle of the machine, between the bars4, there is mounted fast a sprocket wheel 46,

24 and '40 sprocket wheels 47 and 48 are respectively mounted. Still another sprocket wheel, 49 is mounted upon a stud-shaft 5O projecting from an extension 51 formed upon the left-hand arm 22. All of said sprocket wheels are connected by one endand upon the inner extremity of the shafts less chain 52, passing beneath the wheel 46, I

over the wheel 47, under the wheel 48 and over the wheel 49. Thus, during the travel of the machine, the, belts 42 are so'driven i from the axle that their upper and lower.

parallel portions respectively travel rearwardly and forwardly, and thegcrank-shaft 24 is so rotated that the bars 26 will travel rearwardly' relative to the rods 18'while adjacent to said rods and will be spaced from said rods when undergoing a return i forward motion. c c

the ex- '5 passing forwardly over the axleat' 'an inclination upward and to the left. The

forward end of the member 56. is'connected by a short downwardly extending swinging link 57 with the forward end of a foot-lever bar 58, carrying a foot pedal 59 and having the axle passing freely through its rear extremity.

The operation of my peanut harvester will now be discussed. During the use of the machine, the-earth-turning member will be adjusted in a lowered position such that the plowshare will uproot a row of peanut plants along which the machine is traveling.-

The uprooted plants together with the upturned earth will be thrown upon the lower portion of the mold-board formed by the rods 18. The vines will now be engaged by the spike-bars 26 of the feeding mechanism and will be subjected by said bars to a suflicient displacement to carry them over the upper extremities of the rods 18 dropping them upon the platform 45 and slats 13. As the plants are displaced upwardly upon the rods 18 they will be freed of a considerable portion of the dirt adhering to them which dirt will fall between said rods. The spikes 32 of the bars 26 will tend to break up any clods that may cling to the roots of the plants when the same are upturned. After falling upon the platform 45 and slats 43, the plants will be engaged by the spikes 44 and will travel rearwardly upon said platform. During this travel the plants will be freed from more of the dirt adhering to the same, the platform 45 being perforated to permit the escape of dirt. After having carried the plants over the rearmost pulley Al, the conveyer comprised by the belts 42 and slats 43 will deposit said plants upon the bars 54, this downward motion serving to further free the plants from dirt. The operator of the machine will allow a certain quantity of the plants to accumulate upon the bars 54:, and at any de sired time he will discharge the plants from said bars by relaxing the pressure upon the foot-pedal A9, thus allowing the bars 54; to fall to the position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. feeding mechanism are moving rearwardly While the bars 26 of the and upwardly, they lie closely adjacent to the rear portions of the bars 18, and at times the plants may tend to accumulate to such an extent upon the upper portions of the bars 18 as to clog the feeding mechanism. This tendency will be to some extent overcome by a slight downward movement of the upper portions of the bars 18 permitted by their resiliency, but if this motion does not relieve the clogging, the operator by manipulating the lever 37 may subject the shaft 31 to a partial rotation such as will elevate the lower extremities of the bars 26, leaving suflicient space between the bars 18 and the bars 26 to permit the plants to readily be fed upwardly.

By means of the above-described machine, the harvesting and cleaning of peanuts may be accomplished with a much less expenditure of time and labor than is necessary for the manual performance of such work.

The invention is presented as including all such modifications and changes as properly come within the scope of the following claim.

What I claim is:

In a device of the character described, the combination with a mold-board, comprised by a plurality of spaced parallel inclined rods, of a pair of crank shafts transversely extended above the mold-board, substantially equidistant from the same, a toothed bar substantially parallel to said rods, having its extremities respectively pivotally supported by the cranks of said shafts, a rock shaft mounted above the upper shaft, a pair of parallel arms fast upon the rock shaft, a pair of swinging links extending to the extremities of the lower crank shaft from said arms, and a mechanism for manually rocking the rock shaft.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH R. ERWIN. Witnesses:

J. S. MURRAY, R. E. C. BRUOKNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0'. 

